Hryshko Botanical Garden

The garden covers about a hundred and thirty hectares of the steep Dnipro slopes and is best known for one thing: a lilac collection of several hundred varieties that flowers in the second half of May and brings the whole city up the hill. The setting does as much as the plants, with the golden domes of Vydubychi monastery directly below and the river beyond. There are also steppe, Carpathian and Crimean plant sections and a large glasshouse.

What you actually see

• The lilac collection - several hundred varieties flowering through late May.
• The monastery view - Vydubychi's domes directly below the slope.
• The plant regions - steppe, Carpathian and other Ukrainian habitats laid out.
• The glasshouse - tropical and subtropical collections under cover.

When to go

The second half of May is the lilac and by a distance the busiest and best time. April to October is pleasant generally. Winter access is limited.

Honest expectations

During the lilac fortnight the crowds are heavy and the slopes get churned. Outside it the garden is quiet but much less remarkable. Some sections are poorly maintained.

Nearby

Vydubychi monastery is directly below, and the Lavra is north along the slopes.